An Adelaide grandmother has been left shocked after learning that an alleged squatter had been living in her roof, after months of strange noises, missing belongings, and unexplained incidents inside her home.
The pensioner, who lives alone in a Housing Trust property, said she first became concerned late last year when she heard sounds coming from above her ceiling.
“I started hearing things in the roof but at first I thought it was a possum,” she said.
As time went on, the noises continued and other unusual things began happening around the house.
“Lots of different things or items went missing but I thought, no, maybe I’ve misplaced them,” she said.
The woman said she repeatedly raised her concerns with Housing Trust, convinced something was wrong.
“I told Housing countless times,” she said.
“Nobody was ever sent out.”
One morning everything changed, and her fears came true.
“There was this humongous bang,” she said. “It sounded like somebody had almost fallen through the roof.”
“He started swearing when he fell … I was too freaked out to ring the police because I thought if I made a noise, whoever was up there would come down.”
Police later searched the property and allegedly found evidence that someone had been living inside the space.
“There’s been someone up there this whole time, getting up and down in my home when I’ve been asleep,” she said.
According to the grandmother, officers showed her what they found, including a makeshift bed, tins of food, crockery, shoes and drugs. Police believe access may have been gained through damaged roof tiles.
The discovery also appeared to explain a series of unsettling incidents she had experienced over several months, including repeatedly finding the toilet seat up and signs that someone had recently used the toilet.
The experience has left the grandmother deeply shaken.
“I got quite upset and I thought, no, this is not right,” she said.
In a statement to 7NEWS, Housing Trust said it takes tenant safety seriously and would arrange for the roof space to be secured. However, it noted staff are not trained or equipped to remove people from properties.
The grandmother said she was frustrated her concerns had not been addressed sooner.
“I just feel like they make you out to feel like you’re stupid,” she said.
“Why wasn’t that sorted out?”
Police confirmed an investigation is ongoing, but said it would be inappropriate to comment further.
